Mauricio Pochettino has reiterated that Arsenal are the Premier League team he will never manage.

The Chelsea boss made this known ahead of his side’s league meeting with Tottenham next Monday.

Poch was sought after by the Gunners after they sacked Unai Emery four years ago, but the Argentine turned them down.

Asked what it would mean to beat Spurs on Monday, the 51-year-old said: “Look, if you remember, I always said the club I will never manage is Arsenal.

“You know, because I considered them the worst enemy of Tottenham. It’s strange to come back because always the feeling after four years… it’s going to be, for me, a happy day.

“But that is life and we need to move on. We are professional but at the same time we are human.

“We were talking about the four months we are working together [at Chelsea] and creating some links and maybe we spend five or six years together, if I’m sacked why are we going to forget our relationship?

“There were ups and downs [at Tottenham]. That is how we build our history.”

On whether he expects a warm welcome from Tottenham fans on his return, Poch added: “I’m not going to say anything at the moment because until Monday we cannot guess.

“The most important is people know we cannot forget what we lived together. It won’t change my emotions, my feelings about a club where we spent an unbelievable journey.”